Wire-fence tightener



I WIRE FENCE TIGHTENER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1922.

1,355. $2 1 1 a Patentfl July 18, 1922.

SM/LWAHIOL Charles Eushwa v, I "Q I I state CHARLES GUSEWA, or nrxrrsar, INDIANA,

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July i8, 153122.

I Application filed'iipril 10, 1922. Serial No. 551,431.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES GUSHWA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Fence Tighteners, of which the following is a specificasame taut.

Another object of the invention is vide a device of this character which is compact in form, so that any number of the devices may be applied to the section of a fence to tighten all portions of the wire without requiring the wire to be disconnected from the fence posts.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of this character adapted to substantially form a crimp in the wire, said device being applied by means of an implement, capable of being readily detached after the application of the device to the wire.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a device of this character which can be stamped from a small quantity of sheet metal.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of a fence section showing the invention. applied;

Figure 2 tightener;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the tool used in applying the tightener.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates the body member of the tightener, said is a perspective view of the body member consisting of a sheet metal blank substantially triangular in shape. It is of course obvious that the device may be made square or other shapes if desired, 1

without interfering with the 11 is intended to be extended to p'rooperation of the tightener.

The corner 6 of vided with an extension {,said extending being extended back upon the face 8 of the body member to provide a hook 9, the hook extending toward the central portion of the body member, the extremity ofthe extension 7 being tapered to permit unobstructed Projectmovement ofthe wire thereover. ing from the opposite corner 10 of the plate is an extension 11, similar to the extension 7, the extremity of the extension 11 being tapered to permit movement of the wire, similar to the extremity of the extension 7. .The extension back upon the face 8 of the body member and toward the center of the body member to provide a hook. It will be is formed, that the edge 12 of the extension 7 and the edge 13 of the extension 11 extend slightly above the edge 14 of the body member, so as tocause said edge to substantially bite into the wire without interference from the body member.

The remaining corner of the body memher is removed to provide a relatively straight edge 15 which is disposed in parallel relation to the edge 14 of the body member. A finger 16 is struck from the end portion 15, the finger 16 being disposed normally in the plane of the face 8 ofthe body member. The portions 17 and 18 on each side of the finger 16 are extended outwardly beyond the opposite face of the body member substantially in alignment with each other, and cooperate with the finger to provide a wire receiving recess 19.

The central portion of the body member 5' is provided with adapted to receive means device to the wire.

To apply the device to a slack wire, a novel tool 21 is provided, said tool having a square shank 22, the extremity of which is adapted to enter the opening 20, the opposite end of the shank being constructed to enter the socket ofa conventional form of brace. To tighten the wire, the edge 13 of the hook a rectangular opening 20 for applying the the body member is pro noted that after the hook application or 7 imobstructed formed b i the extension 11 is en a ed with C) C) a portion of the wire, the wire being passed over the face 8 of the body member and into the recess 19 provided in the finger 16 and portions 17 and 18 of the plate. The body member is then rotated through the medium oi? the tool i l and brace, so as to move the hook formed by the extension 7 downwardly and beneath the wire, thereby causing the wire to engage the edge 12 of said hook. This operation may be accomplished by an oscillating movement of the brace to first engage one hook and then the other. It is not necessary to rotate the implement. After the wire engages the hook formed by the extension 7, a crimp is formed in the wire which draws the same taut between the fence po: s. It one tightening operation is not sullicient to properly tighten the wire, another tightening device may be applied in spaced relation to the first one. As these devices are small, any number may be applied to the fence to strengthen the same without increasing the weight ot the fence or affecting its appearance.

FY0111 the foregoing it will be readily seen that this invention provides a novel wire being readily applied to any type of wire itence by anyone,

tighteneiifor fences capable of without disconnectingthe fence from the posts, and all of lillQSQfQiltUTQS are possessed by a device that can be stamped in large numbers from a small quantity oi? sheet metal.

What is claimed is 1. A. wire tightener consisting of a plate having an opening in its central portion for the reception of a tool. extensionscarried by certain corners of said plate, said extensions being extended back upon the plate to therefrom, said finger cooperatin provide hooks, and fingers projecting from the end portion of the plate remote from the hooks, said lingers coacting with each other to provide a recess.

2. A wire tightener consisting of a substantially triangular plate having a central opening for the reception of a rotatable tool, extensions carried by two of the corners of the plate, said extensions being extended back upon the plate to provide hooks, the remaining corner of the plate having a fun ger struck therefrom, the portionsot the last mentioned corner adjacent the linger being extended outwardly and eoacting with the linger to provide a recess for the reception of the wire.

3. A wire tightener consisting of a substantially triangular plate, two ot the corners of. the plate having outwardly projecting extensions, said extensions being extended backupon saidbody member to pro vide hooks, a portion of each hool-z extending beyond one'edge oi. the plate, the opposite corner of the plate having a finger struck with the portions of the last mentioned corner adjacent the finger to'provide a recess for the reception of the wire, said recess cooperating with the hooks to substantially 'torm a V- shaped crimp the body member upon the wire.

In testimony whereof I hereunto alfix my signature.

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in the wire upon'rotation of 

